Editorial: Sometimes the voices in a message are faceless

Commentary By Doug Spoon, Editor

Keep me anonymous!

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that in the last week … well, I’d have a few bucks.

Believe me, there are times I wish I could be anonymous, too. Like the time I wrote that police believed a suspect had a gum (instead of a gun). Back in the day, I would’ve had to suffer through that until the next day’s newspaper printed an embarrassing correction. These days the internet allows me to fix mistakes quickly, but there’s still the stigma attached to my name.

You guys have it easy – if I let you. As a source for a news article, you can call me up, tell me some juicy stuff, and beg for your name not to be used. I get calls with “No Caller ID”, numbers I don’t recognize, and emails from a fake name. Then it’s up to me to decide whether to grant your wish or turn you away.

In 12 years teaching college journalism, I told my students that anonymous sources should be used only as a last resort. There’s the potential for lessened credibility if you don’t name your sources. Of course, if you don’t name them, there’s the potential for losing out on the only way to bring an important subject to light.

There are exceptions, I told them, depending on the importance of the story. Now you might not believe that the current Menifee 24/7 investigation into mass departures in the Perris Union High School District is the biggest news around, but I can tell you one thing: Never in my 47 years as a journalist have I been contacted by as many people wanting to tell me so much while adding that they are absolutely afraid for their careers.

Through the information passed on by these individuals and my own research, I have determined so far that 19 PUHSD employees (17 top administrators, 2 varsity coaches) have left the district in a little more than a year – most in the last few months. The allegations they have made have been published, mostly without their name attached. Yes, I have determined that the public’s right to know the allegations justifies protecting their privacy.

The fact that every one of them has mentioned fear of and intimidation by PUHSD officials as factors in their anonymity is concerning. I could write them off as being “disgruntled ex-employees” (even though some still work in the district). However, the PUHSD folks aren’t making it any easier with memes like the one below, posted on a social media page of Shanna Egans, the new Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services:

Yeah, that would scare me too. I thought education administrators were supposed to support students and staff, not threaten them with a sledgehammer.

Even so, I do my best to urge sources to consider using their name – especially if they’ve left the district. And I do pledge to do my best to research the allegations and confront the opposition with the statements. I am reviewing the minutes of many PUHSD school board meetings and listening to audio recordings of those proceedings. And I am finding some disturbing information, which I will report as warranted.

I acknowledge that both sides have a right to tell their story. I am constantly giving that opportunity to current administrators. For the most part, they have chosen not to take that opportunity. I have not received a response from Alfredo Andrade, the Chief Officer of Human Resources, even though his job description includes corresponding with the media. But a couple others have defended the right of the superintendent and school board members to create an environment that results in mass departures.

“I see a lot of positive change,” said John Phillips, a coach and campus supervisor at Liberty High School. “We are losing people, but at the same time, we’re gaining young people with fresh ideas.

“I don’t feel like anyone was forced out. Maybe they’re not getting the jobs here they feel they were entitled to. I’ve never felt like the board is doing something back door against them.”

Everyone has a right to state their own beliefs. We are simply trying to report things that are brought to our attention for the public to analyze on their own. I totally get the fact that a lot of folks have lost faith in the media. You can believe I am doing the right thing in reporting what I have learned – or not. The choice is yours.

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Here is the updated list of departures. It now goes back as far as Kirk Skorpanich, who resigned as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources before Superintendent Jose Araux’s arrival; Amil Alzubaidi, who resigned as Director of Special Education after the removal of Mental Health Centers; Causandra McNair, whose position of Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was eliminated; Michael Walsh, Paloma Valley High assistant principal and athletic director; and Dena Nunnally, Paloma Valley cheer coach.

Principals:
Julie Blied, Paloma Valley High principal
Erika Tejeda, Liberty High principal
Juan Santos, Perris High principal
Lee Alfred, Perris Lake High principal

Cabinet member:
Candace Reines, Deputy Superintendent, Business Services
Kirk Skorpanich, Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources

Directors:
Causandra McNair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director
Amil Alzubaidi, Director of Special Education
Sylvia Hinojosa, Director of Purchasing
Shannyn Cahoon, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Dian Martin, Director of Learning Support Services
Nathan Camara, Accounting Supervisor
Marvin Adkins, Director of Pupil Services
Chad Goodwin, Facilities Supervisor

Assistant principals:
Cindy Ramos, Perris Lake High School
Rebecca Beigle, California Military Institute
Michael Walsh, Paloma Valley (also athletic director)

Varsity head coach:
Cory Cornelius, Liberty High boys basketball coach
Dena Nunnally, Paloma Valley cheer coach